


Keep Up

by Halmaithor



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: (very brief - just a mention of Alec at Max's rune ceremony), Future Fic, Good Parent Maryse Lightwood, Implied Discrimination against Downworlders, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Multi, Post-Canon, References to Past Suicide Attempt, by the way Malec are parents here but it's mentioned like twice, other characters are there of course but those are the ones with dialogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-18 03:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21671137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halmaithor/pseuds/Halmaithor
Summary: This isn’t ‘the old days’. Tonight, she’s a little tipsy, and she’s standing in the home of two people she loves more than life itself.Tonight, she’s had enough.At a New Year’s Eve party in Alicante, Maryse runs into a few familiar faces from the Lightwood-Branwell wedding-that-never-was, and sets the record straight.
Relationships: Alec Lightwood & Maryse Lightwood, Isabelle Lightwood & Maryse Lightwood, Maryse Lightwood & Jace Wayland, Maryse Lightwood & Max Lightwood, Minor or Background Relationship(s), background Izzy/Simon/Maia, background Jace/Clary/Meliorn, background Malec - Relationship, background Maryse/Luke, background Max/Original NB Character, references to past Alec/Lydia
Comments: 34
Kudos: 210





	Keep Up

**Author's Note:**

> ~~I’m supposed to be working on an AU but this idea wouldn’t leave me alone~~
> 
> Okay, so when I read [THIS](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20848199/chapters/50095448) piece, I had a thought:  
> What if all four of Robert and Maryse’s kids were queer? And what if they all chose Downworlders?  
> Which led to this, so please enjoy Maryse owning her character development, and defending the extended family she has learned to love and wouldn’t trade for the world. <3

Magnus knows how to throw a party. Maryse has known this longer than she’s been able to admit it, ever since the one he organised for Max’s rune ceremony years ago. The walls echo softly with laughter and chatter, the buffet is full of enough variety to make things interesting whilst also offering guests some time-honoured favourites, and the music is a gentle hum in the background – present, but never loud enough to make conversing difficult.

Which is probably why Maryse hears a few familiar voices, their disdain discordant against the calm, joyful atmosphere.  
‘Of course, I’m not _against_ it, per se-‘  
‘No, of course not. But trust me, I understand the… hesitation.’  
‘As do I, honestly. What people do in private is one thing, but in positions of leadership… Our ways rely on _tradition,_ that’s how we stay on course.’  
‘Yes, yes, exactly.’ The last voice lowers, continuing in a murmur. ‘Personally… -icante even _needs_ … -rlock.’

Maryse turns with a slight frown, and has the misfortune of meeting eyes with the source of the discontent.  
‘Maryse!’ Sophia exclaims, and Maryse suppresses a groan as the short, blonde woman moves towards her, leaning in to press an air kiss to each cheek. ‘Oh, it’s been an age,’ she says, linking arms once more with her brick house of a husband, Jeremiah, and poorly concealing the pity in her eyes as her gaze scans over Maryse’s de-runed arms and neck.  
‘It has,’ Maryse agrees, managing not to cringe under the quiet, condescending scrutiny. ‘When was the last time we were all together?’ Probably some dry political event or another, she thinks. These four, at least in her eyes, are the kind of people you only invite to something when you need to keep the peace; when their departments are going to be overseeing a factor of one of your projects, or when you’re about to need a favour from them. Of course, it’s possible Magnus and Alec invited them for their _scintillating_ company, but she rather doubts it.

‘It was at the, uh… _wedding,’_ Colin says, chiming in as he and Erica wander over. Well, that certainly makes sense. Alec’s almost-wedding to Lydia was very much a political affair.  
‘You know,’ Erica says, almost conspiratorially, her pity only a little better-concealed than Sophia’s, ‘we were so sorry to hear about your de-runing, Maryse – weren’t we, dear? Especially after it came so soon after… well. The _wedding.’_  
‘Still,’ Jeremiah adds, ‘despite all of that, your eldest has managed to do… surprisingly well for himself. That must be some comfort.’

And in the old days, Maryse would have reluctantly agreed with them, ‘forgiving’ Alec simply to avoid dragging the family name any further through the mud. Even after the party for Max’s rune ceremony, when Magnus stopped her son tumbling from the roof and she began to realise how wrong she’d been about Downworlders, she probably would have laughed off her doubt in such company – waxed lyrical about being the mother of the Inquisitor, focusing on her pride and stifling the mental turmoil until she was once again in private.

But this isn’t the old days. Tonight, she’s a little tipsy – even after all this time, she forgets how quickly alcohol affects a Mundane body – and she’s standing in the home of two people she loves more than life itself. Even from here, she can see the warded doorway behind which baby Max is sleeping.  
Tonight, she’s had enough.

‘Yes,’ she says breezily, locking eyes with Jeremiah. ‘My eldest _has_ done well for himself, hasn’t he? I mean, as if _inventing_ the portal, banishing Asmodeus from this plane, sealing the rift above Idris and saving the _world_ wasn’t enough, he’s now the first _ever_ High Warlock of Alicante? Oh, yes, I’m un _speak_ ably proud of him. What mother wouldn’t be?’

Jeremiah’s eyes widen in surprise, but Sophia titters a laugh. ‘Ah, well – yes, of course, but we actually meant – ‘  
‘Oh – my second-eldest?’ Maryse interrupts, and when Sophia nods, she tilts her head in mock confusion. ‘Hm. Well, Meliorn didn’t _tell_ me about any promotion – as I understand it, his position in the Seelie Queen’s guard is fairly high-ranking as it is – oh, unless you mean the union ceremony? I didn’t know you’d heard about that. It was beautiful, though, yes. He makes Jace and Clary so happy.’

The small group in front of her is growing steadily more wary, but she carries on, because if there’s one thing she knows it’s how to hold the floor and make a point. ‘Of course, if you _didn’t_ hear about the ceremony, that means you were likely referring to Alec. And you’d be right again, obviously. Becoming Inquisitor, fighting for lasting changes to outdated traditions, now fatherhood – he truly goes from strength to strength, has done ever since he was a boy. I’m so proud of the example he sets for the others, especially as he handed down the position of Head of the New York Institute to Isabelle. She’s now doing _wonderful_ work alongside her girlfriend, the current Alpha of the local werewolf pack, and their boyfriend, the first Daylighter in Angel-knows-how-many years. I can only hope Max goes on to follow in their footsteps, standing strong in whichever path he chooses to take – he and the person he’s seeing would be here tonight, of course, but Rowan was only turned recently. It takes time to build up the kind of effortless control our dear Maia exhibits, and understandably, they didn't want to risk transforming at a party full of drunk Shadowhunters.’

Maryse steps forward, and although the couples in front of her are too politically savvy to show weakness by stepping back, she relishes the spark of caution in their eyes, the unease she’s brought them to so easily. ‘I’m not such a fool that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to think how you think,’ she says, dropping the airs and graces. ‘The Angel knows I’ve done my share of harm in the name of _tradition._ But times are changing, and speaking from personal experience? I’d advise you to keep up. I have nine children now – and one day I may have even more, if Max decides to share his life with anyone. And I am so, _so_ proud of each and every one of them. If you plan on accepting my family’s hospitality in the future, you’d do well to remember that.’ She smirks, raising her glass in a mock toast, finishing her champagne as quiet settles over their little bubble of conversation.

No, she realises – over the whole _room._ Because the only noise now is the gentle music in the background and the odd murmur, and a quick glance confirms her sudden suspicion; almost everyone in the room is looking at her, apparently enraptured by her speech.

Her eyes catch on a few particularly important faces in the crowd. Alec just looks stunned, while Izzy’s eyes are watering, her lips curved slightly in a trembling smile. She’s holding Maia’s hand tightly, her grip returned even as Maia flattens her mouth into a straight line, her eyes dancing with amusement. She’s hiding it _much_ better than Jace, though – he lets out a snort, quickly covering his mouth and pretending to cough.

Magnus appears then, the image of an in-control host as he waves a hand and a dull flash sparks over the buffet table, replacing the savoury food with gelato, tiramisu, and various other sweet treats. ‘Everyone, please help yourselves to dessert,’ he says. ‘Oh, and keep an eye on the time – midnight fast approaches!’

The tension in the room breaks as people start moving with interest towards the food, or turn back to their dancing and conversation. Magnus, for his part, sweeps back to rejoin Alec – but not before laying a hand gently on Maryse’s arm, flashing her a small smile and a glimpse of golden eyes. She smiles in return, marvelling slightly at how what was once a show of intimidation is now one of trust.

Turning away, she spots Luke across the room, once again talking to Raphael and Simon, and begins to make a beeline for them. She’s sure they’ll make for _far_ better company than certain others she’s talked to this evening.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you thought!
> 
> [Find me on tumblr!](silver-latin-and-salt.tumblr.com)


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